Data Breach Will Cost TJX $1.7B, Security Firm Estimates

Data security vendor Protegrity has run some numbers on retail giant TJX’s setting a new world record in data breaches — some 45.7 million credit card numbers at last count — and figures that the cost of being owned by a hacker who has been traversing their system like a 19-year old with a Eurorail pass and dad’s credit card comes to something close to $1.7 billion.

Of course, Protegrity has an interest in companies fearing becoming the next data breach poster child, but Protegrity’s numbers and assumptions are after the jump — so judge for yourself whether they are high-balling the cost.

As for the Marshall’s and TJ Maxx customers who had their credit card numbers stolen and are now either cancelling their cards or disputing charges, I imagine those $11 Lee Lei Jeans aren’t looking like such a bargain anymore. (Note the target of that link wrote in to say the jeans were Lei’s, not Lee’s. 27B regrets the error.)

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